‘Brilliant’ take on ‘churchly dominance’

Asuncion David Maramba’s commentary, “The same yesterday, today and forever” (Inquirer, 11/24/12), put into brilliant perspective the way “us educated Catholics” should take stock of and reassess churchmen’s assumed arrogance of their “superiority” and expectation of obeisance from the faithful; and conversely of the faithful’s subservience  to traditional authority.

I am in my 60s.  I grew up with comfortable acceptance of the faith.  I thought of religious service, went through five years of philosophy and theology with the most avant-garde—the Jesuits of Ateneo.  Ironically, philosophy informed my critical thinking and my doubts about churchly dominance and contradictory doctrines and practices completely upset my set goals.

I have often mulled and wanted to express the very same sentiments Maramba feels. I would like to thank her for sparing me the trouble of voicing them.  I would copy and print out her article to all who squirm about these issues.

Oh, before I get misinterpreted, I do have prelates whom I admire and have great respect for.

One is Archbishop Chito Tagle whom I have never met but discovered on his 6-a.m. TV show many years ago. I followed him regularly and found his ideas and “teaching” not only profound but also well-based in actual experiences, and his approach not at all didactic, but helpful. No condemnations like “hell-fire take thee,” etc.  I’m glad he has his well-deserved purple hat.  Which he doesn’t flaunt.  He and Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Ateneo summa cum laude in ’63 and son of former senator (1950s) Oscar Ledesma, now bishop of Cagayan de Oro, both eschew purple hats and sashes and the like, and go around in neat polo barongs with a plain unobtrusive insignia.

Alas, we swim in a sea of complacent, (ignorant?) docile, church followers. We as a minority will continue to discomfit ultraconservative clerics, just so people “out there” will know there are many of us expressing these apprehensions.

—MANNY DE VEYRA,

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